Vacation Time Hints Before You Leave Home.
Often we leave for vacation, whether its during the holidays or during summer months, and we worry about the safety of our home and belongings. Over the years of handling claims at our agency, we have come up with a few helpful hints that will hopefully give you peace of mind as you are away.
Every home should have a main cut off valve for water coming into your home. Many claims from water damage result from a washing machine, dishwasher, water heater line breaking and causing a continuous flood until you come home. Hours if not days go by as the water continues to cause damage to your home and belongings. Damage can be minimized by turning off the main water valve and preventing anymore than a little water in the line from leaking onto your floors or carpet. If a line were to break or come lose, it will only drain out the water in the line rather than having a continuous flow of water being sent through the line and onto your floors.
Put a timer on your lights. Nothing says, “you’re not home,” like a dark house that is silent for days at a time. Timers can be programed to turn lights on at different times. Set up two or more low wattage lights and give the appearance that someone is still living in the home. Leaving lights on at all doors is also a good idea. If you can put a timer on these lights, it is best so they do not burn during the daytime. Back doors, side doors, sliding glass doors, are all easy marks for a thief in the dark.
Have a friend or neighbor come over and check on the house. Most neighbors do not mind coming over every other day and checking on your home. Making sure doors are locked and nothing has happened like a busted water heater. A house being “cased” by a thief will shy away when they see people using the house or visiting the home. While they are there, have your neighbor move your car in the driveway. Lets charge the battery and give the appearance someone has used that idle car in the driveway.
Stop the press!!! The only thing a stack of newspapers in the driveway tells a thief is that nobody has been home for days! If you do not have a neighbor that can help, at least call the the newspaper and have them stop delivery. Speaking of delivery… avoid ordering anything that the delivery company will just leave on your doorstep. If a package is delivered, have your neighbor put it inside the house out of site or let the sender know not to send it until you are home again.
Unplug unplug unplug! When you are home and a thunderstorm hits, it is always a good idea to unplug your electronics. When you leave your home for an extended period of time, unplug tv’s, computers, modems, routers, stereos. Not only are they using useless electricity, if lightening strikes, you lose all your valuable electronics and are stuck paying a deductible and filing a claim.
There are many other great safety tips on the web to securing your home when you go on vacation. Please let us know if you have any suggestions. Something you do to your home when you leave that might help others. Perhaps you have a claim experience that you could share with us.
As always, please consult your insurance agent about any questions you have about coverage. Often there are limitations when it comes to theft on certain items, so it is a good idea to know what these limitations are before you have a claim. Most of all, try to prevent a claim from happening. Many of us carry higher deductibles now and that is not money out of pocket you really want to spend.
If you need insurance coverage or advice, please call our office at 843-881-2886. We are happy to help you with all of your insurance needs.
Philip L. Bradley is the CEO The East Cooper Insurance Agency in Charleston, SC. He is licensed in SC for Property and Casualty, Life and Health insurance. He is also a Personal Financial Representative.
www.insuranceofcharleston.com
Please consult your personal insurance agent, financial adviser and legal adviser before making any decisions regarding your personal financial or insurance situation.
